Giving gas

ebm-papst is taking over a product group from heating unit manufacturer Dungs and expanding its position as a system supplier

October 2011

By acquiring a small but important component, ebm-papst can now offer its gas blowers as complete systems. The component is a safety valve for regulating the gas supply. In this process, it directs the gas from the distribution system into the heating unit. The acquisition of the gas safety valve product group from Karl Dungs GmbH & Co. KG at the start of Fiscal 2011 completes an entire series of strategic acquisitions in the heating engineering sector. The acquired line of business includes not only existing product groups, but also technical expertise from Dungs, providing a foundation on which developers can build for future parts.

For ebm-papst, this is an important step towards growing into the role of a system supplier in the heating and condensing boiler sector. “This acquisition is a response to the needs of our customers,” explains Enno Vrolijk, the Product Line Manager responsible for heating systems at ebm-papst. “Market trends are clearly heading in the direction of solutions from a single source.” This strategic repositioning offers a number of benefits to customers.

The most important of these is obvious: A complete system can be put into operation immediately after it is delivered, with all necessary components built right in. This also means less administrative effort. The customer now has only one supplier for a device, who is familiar with each individual part. This is particularly practical for later maintenance or upgrades to the machine. The benefits are also noticeable in the efficiency calculation: If the components of a complete system are optimally matched to each other, they make better use of fuel, thus increasing efficiency. “A welcome side effect of this is that the complete system generates lower noise and pollutant emissions,” adds Vrolijk.

“The more compact design also improves the power density and electrical input capacity.” Ultimately, all of these factors result in significant cost savings. A complete system means higher performance, but also places higher demands on the developer. Vrolijk was conscious of this responsibility. “We proceeded with the greatest caution during the acquisition, making sure the products were a perfect fit for us.”

The critical factor for deciding in favour of Dungs valves was their high degree of reliability and their versatility for various applications. They are particularly suited for applications of small appliances in the private household. Thus the components fit seamlessly into the ebm-papst concept and were able to be combined quickly with the existing gas blowers. Production of the complete systems is already scheduled to start in April of this year.